Furniture brace



Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES EATENT orrlcs 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to furniture braces and an object thereof is to provide a novel strand anchoring device arranged in a bore in the furniture and serving with the bore to conceal the end of the strand. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel strand tightening handle which will not require threading operations thereon to provide anchorage for the strand attaching screws.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a chair showing the improved furniture brace connected thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view partially in section showing the tightening handle and the strand anchoring screws;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view partially in section of the strand anchoring device.

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the strand tightening handle;

Fig. 5 is a view of a modification in which the concealed end of the tightening strand connects with the anchoring device in a different manner;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through one of the strand anchoring screws showing the construction designed for a chained strand; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6.

Heretofore, in connecting the strands of furniture bracesv with the furniture, it has been necessary to expose the ends of the tightening strands either on the inside or the outside of the furniture, and these ends have a tendency to tear textile material such as clothes or bedding coming in contact therewith. According to this invention, the ends of the tightening wire are concealed in bores of the furniture so that they are not exposed to tear the clothes or bedding.

Furniture braces have heretofore employed a handle connected with strand attaching screws, the screws engaging threaded walls of bores in the handle. The threading of these bores requires special operations and sometimes spoils the handles, thus adding to the cost of the handles. According to this invention, the handle is so formed that it will provide seats for nuts which engage the screws and which may be made in-'- expensively on automatic machines,- thus reducing the cost of manufacturing the handles.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the furniture is a chair, the legs 1 of which are provided with bores 2 passing diagonally through: the legs. v'I'he tight ening strands are two. in number indicatedat 3,

each being connected at its ends to two anchoring devices on two legs 1.

The anchoring devices have each a closing "head 4 for the bore, shaped to conform to the threaded end 7 of a strand. In this way the extreme end of the strand is entirely covered. In fitting an anchoring device to a strand, the latter has an end passed through a bore and the anchoring device then is turned onto the screw threaded end of the strand, after which the anchoring device is fitted in the bore so that its V shaped end interlocks with the corner of the leg to be held against turning by such leg engagement, preventing vibrations disconnecting the anchoring device from the strand.

The two strands are connected at their centers by tightening means comprising, in this instance, two strand anchoring screws 8, one right handed and the other left handed, and each of which has an eye 9 at one end through which a strand is passed. Connecting the screws is a handle 10 which is formed from a single piece of sheet material bent laterally at opposite ends at 11, the bent portion being provided with non-circular depressions on their inner faces to provide seats for two nuts 12, one right handed and the other left handed, and each engaging one of the screws 8.

The turning of the handle in one direction tightens the strands and draws the anchoring devices in firm interlocking connection with the chair legs and holds them against turning on the strands, whereas, turning the handle in the other direction loosens the strands so that the anchoring devices may be withdrawn from the bores in the legs of the furniture and removedfrom the strands.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, furniture leg 1 has a diagonal bore closed at its outer end by a head 4:. From the head projects a strand anchoring portion or stem 5 which is provided with a transverse opening 13 through which the strand 3 is looped within the bore 2 In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the handle 10 is formed identically like that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The screws 8 have noncircular portions 8 which pass through noncircular portions in a channelled strand engaging member 8 this channelled strand engaging member, in this instance, being engaged by a strand in the form of a link chain one link of which lies in the channel of the strand engaging member and extends substantially throughout the length of said strand engaging member. The head 8 of the strand engaging screw cooperates with the outer face of the strand engaging member 8. With this arrangement the strand engaging member 8 is separate from the screw but is held against turning thereon;

This invention is designed to cheapen the manufacturing cost of furniture braces so as to adapt them for use on cheap furniture which has a tendency to become loose quicker than more expensive furniture but which, if the furniture brace is expensive, is not economic to repair.

In other words, applicant has provided a furniture brace in which the manufacturing costs are reduced to a minimum, so that the installation of the brace upon cheap furniture is not prohibited.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A tightening device for a furniture brace hav ing a handle formed from sheet material as a single integral structure with open space for bolt clearance and with laterally turned portions at opposite ends each having an opening and a noncircular nut receiving depression on its inner face, the two openings being in the same plane and axially aligned with the plane of that portion of the handle between the openings, a nut received in each of said depressions, a screw engaged in each nut at one end and having a head formed on the opposite end, a non-circularshank adjacent said head, and a channeled strand engaging member, having a non-circular aperture, engaged over said non-circular shank and bearing against said head on each of said respective screws.

THEODORE H. WITTLIFF. 

